JERUSALEM: Concerns have been raised that Israel’s claim on Thursday that it carried out an operation in Gaza that resulted in the death of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar may impede ceasefire efforts and escalate the Middle East conflict.
On Wednesday, Mr. Sinwar was said to have been “eliminated by IDF soldiers,” according to the Israeli military and the country’s foreign minister. Hamas, on the other hand, did not immediately confirm his passing.
The New York Times reports that Israeli police issued a statement in which they stated that they had initially matched Mr. Sinwar’s fingerprints and information regarding his dental health with records that were kept. An Israeli official with knowledge of the situation told the newspaper that a sample of his DNA was tested to determine his identity.
Sources within Hamas stated that indications from Gaza suggested Mr. Sinwar had been killed in an Israeli operation. Hamas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Families of prisoners held in Gaza expressed hope in Israel that a ceasefire could now be reached to bring the prisoners home.
Residents of Gaza said they believed the war would continue despite being relentlessly pounded by Israeli forces for a year. However, they clung to their hope of self-determination.
Speaking in Jerusalem shortly after the death was confirmed, Netanyahu said that Mr. Sinwar’s death offered a chance for peace in the Middle East. However, he also said that Israel would continue fighting in Gaza until its prisoners were returned.
Mr Sinwar rose through the positions of the Palestinian gathering to turn out to be first its forerunner in Gaza, then, at that point, its general head after the killing in July of political boss Ismail Haniyeh.
Western nations applaud Mr. Sinwar’s death. US President Joe Biden called it a “good day” for the world and said it also removed a key obstacle to a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner deal. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his country “will not mourn” the Hamas leader’s death.
In a statement, Mr. Biden, who was traveling to Germany on Air Force One at the time the news broke, said, “This is a good day for Israel, for the US, and for the world.”
“There is now the chance for a “day after” in Gaza with Hamas out of power and for a political settlement that gives Israelis and Palestinians alike a better future.”
